Recycle San Diego, San Diego’s largest independent recycler of electronic waste, is expanding its program to make disposal of electronic waste quick and painless for thousands of San Diego consumers by creating local drop-off points around San Diego County. The latest collection point comes through a new partnership with Meanley & Son Ace Hardware in La Jolla for collection of consumer e-waste.

“The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only about 28 percent of all e-waste gets recycled,” said Jeffrey Harding, Recycle San Diego president and founder. “The goal of our initiative with Ace and others is to make easy disposal and collection available seven days a week.”

Ace will accept most types of light bulbs and batteries. They’ll also take electronics such as cell phones, iPods and personal digital assistants. Ace will also offer 10 percent off any purchases made in the store at the time of drop-off.

The store is located at 7756 Girard Ave.

Highly toxic chemicals and substances are used in the manufacturing of many products, such as light bulbs, batteries and printed circuit boards found in almost any item that uses electricity. Arsenic, lead, mercury and other heavy metals remain in these products, and when they are discarded and left in landfills, they leach out into the ground and find their way into the water table.

In 2013, Recycle San Diego collected more than 3.2 million pounds of e-waste. It maintains 17 drop-off points throughout the county and hopes to reach 40 by the end of the year. It also gives customers a Certificate of Recycling, which releases the donor from all liability and puts the burden of safe recycling on the organization.

For more information about Recycle San Diego and its community outreach programs, visit recyclesandiego.org or call (858) 569-1807.